Tying the game a third time was one too many for Minnesota on Saturday afternoon.
Trailing top-ranked Wisconsin from the opening minute, the Gophers got back in the game, but were unable to get a lead. The Badgers scored late with a goal by 2016 Minnesota Ms. Hockey Presley Norby and held on for a 3-2 victory at Ridder Arena in the first of two games between the WCHA title mainstays.
Junior forward Sophie Skarzynski had tied the game for Minnesota earlier in the third period with her fourth goal of the season.
“I was really happy again with tying it up in the third and finding a way to get that one. There’s no question you always want to use that momentum to get the next one,” said Minnesota head coach Brad Frost. “We had our chances, but we weren’t able to get over the hump.”
Both goal lights got a workout early. Featuring two of the nation’s top-11 offenses, Minnesota (5-3-1, 4-2-1-0 WCHA) and Wisconsin scored on three of the game’s five shots.
Badger junior Sophia Shaver opened the scoring on the very first shift of the game before Lindsay Agnew halted momentum three minutes later. Sophomore Kippin Keller kept the puck alive, beating out an icing call and found Agnew open in front of the net to tie the game.
“It’s never good when a team scores on their first couple shifts, but I thought we bounced back good. It felt good to get that goal there second shift,” said Agnew, who snapped a 27 game goalless drought.
Every time Minnesota responded, the Badgers (11-0-0, 5-0-0-0 WCHA) showed why no one had beaten them yet this season. Baylee Wellhausen finished an odd-woman rush by shooting the puck over Sidney Peters’ shoulder to give Wisconsin a 2-1 lead.
The Badgers continued to control play for the first period, using its speed to pester Peters and the Gopher defense with scoring chances and limiting the home team’s opportunities.
Minnesota found its rhythm in the second period, however. The Gophers outshot Wisconsin 9-4 and more importantly were able to sustain pressure. Badger goaltender Kristen Campbell made several key saves to keep her team ahead.
“Our nerves settled down so I think everyone was pretty confident. We knew if we could get a couple pucks on net that we could have a chance at beating them,” Agnew said.
Hitting Wisconsin on both sides of the Border Battle, Illinois natives Cara Piazza and Skarzynski teamed up for Minnesota’s second tying goal. Piazza found Skarzynski open for a quick slap shot to tie the game on the power play 6:54 into the third period.
“Cara and I have pretty good chemistry,” said Skarzynski. “We were practicing that one in pregame skate. Credit that one to (assistant coaches Joel Johnson and Bethany Brausen) too.”
Skarzynski felt her team had the momentum during the third period and the team’s depth was matching the number one team in the country. Unfortunately, Wisconsin made the home team pay for a mistake. Left alone, Norby, who played her high school hockey at Minnetonka, was able to slide the puck between Peters’ legs to give Wisconsin a 3-2 lead.
Peters finished with 14 saves while Campbell stopped 25 for the visiting Badgers.
The Gophers will get a second chance to knock Wisconsin from the ranks of the unbeaten. Minnesota plays the Badgers Sunday at 5 p.m.
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